Folding desk and chair



y 1932- Q s. M. SWENSSON 56,977

FOLDING DESK AND CHAIR Filed Nov. 27, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l WWW/II y1932- s. M. SWENSSON ,8 6,977

FOLDING DESK AND CHAIR Filed Nov, 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORPatented May 3, 1932 UNITED STATES PATIENT orr cs SWEN M. SWENSSON, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS FOLDING DESK AND CHAIR Application filed November 27,1929.

vention is not limited to this combination.

The invention has for its objects the provision of an improved chair ordesk of very simple construction, which can be folded and unfolded veryeasily; which forms a very como pact body when folded; which presents aneat appearance when set up in position of use and is very secure whenin such position, and which can be constructed at a low cost of cheap,more or less standard, building material. Certain embodiments of theinvention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a section on the line IIII ofFig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are partial end elevations. Figs. 5 and 6 arediagrammatic views showing the desk in process of folding and in foldedposition. And Fig. 7 is a detail showing a modification.

The desk and chair are mounted on a base or platform made up of sidemembers 1. 1 and 2. 2 secured together by screws or spikes at theiroverlapping ends, and the cross members 3, 4 and 5 secured to the sidemembers by screws or nails. The desk top 6 has on its under side therails 7, 7 to which are pivoted the upper ends of the pairs of legs 8, 9and 8, 9, the lower ends of the legs being pivoted to the base.Removable pins 10 passing through the legs where they cross prevent thetop from swinging to the right when pressure is applied from the otherside. Chains 11 secured to screws 12 prevent the los of the pins whenthey are removed to fold the desk as later described. Stop blocks 13secured to the legs 8, 8 serve to fix the posi tion of the legs 9. 9preliminary to the insertion of the pins 10. In order that the legs 8. 8will fold inside the legs 9, 9 when they are moved to folded(horizontal) position, the lower ends of such legs 8, 8 are spacedinward from the side members 1. 1 by means of the blocks 14. 14 (Fig.2).

In order to fold the desk down into horizontal position in line with thebase, the pins Serial No. 410,163. I V

10 are Withdrawn and the top 6 moved to the right, as indicated in Fig.5. This movement progresses until the parts arrive at the position'ofFig; 6, the desk top 6 at this time being turnedupside down and end forend as compared with its starting position. The movement to thisposition is made possible by the fact thatthe pivots at the upper endsof the legs 8 and 9 are the same distanceapart as the pivots at thebottoms of such legs, 180 otherwise thecomplete folding movement to theposition of Fig. 6-could not be made. I

The chair which is mounted to the rear of the desk, comprises the seat15, the back 16,

and the pairs of legs 17, 18 and'17, 18, which $935 are 'pivotedat-their upper ends to the rails :19, 19. The, legs 18, 18 lieoutside'the legs 17, 17 andare spaced away from the members 2, 2 bymeans of the blocks 20, 20. This serves to bring the legs 17, 17 insidethe legs 8, 8 when folded down to horizontal position. The legs 17, 17are pivoted at their lower ends between the blocks 21, 22' (Figs. 2 and3). The back 16 is hinged at 23 to the seat, so

that it will fold down against such seat. 52

Stop blocks 24: are employed corresponding in function to the blocks 13,but no pins, such as the pins 10, are required, as there is no tendencyin using thechair to tilt it toward folded position. V V

The chair folds down to horizontal position between the members 1, 1and2, 2 in the same manner as described in connection with the'desk, theseat 15, with the back folded down thereon, being turned upside down andreversed end for end in the folding operation. Here, as in the desk, thepivots at the upper ends of the legs must bethe same distance apart asthose at the lower ends in order to permit of the complete foldingaction. It is also necessary that the legs shall be of the same length.It will be apparent that the parts can be folded into very compact formand that this maybe accomplished 5 quickly and without difficulty. Fig.7 illustrates a modification to take the place of the pins 10, a spring25 being mounted on the stop block 13 to receive and yieldingly hold theleg 9. Various other releasable means might be used to hold the legsto-" gether releasably where they cross and thus prevent an accidentalfolding movement.

What I claim is:

1., In combination in a device of the character described, a fixedhorizontal base, a top substantially parallel to the base, a pair oflegs at each side of the top pivoted at their upper ends to such topwith the members of each pair crossing each other at their centralportions when the device is in position of use and pivoted at theirlower ends to the base, and stop means cooperating between each pair oflegs permitting them to swing in the same direction toward foldedposition but preventing movement in the reverse direction after the legshave reached their crossed position of use.

2. In combination in a device of the character described, a fixedhorizontal base, a top substantially parallel to the base, a pair oflegs at each side of the top pivoted at their upper ends to such topwith the members of each pair crossing each other at their centralportions when the device is in position of use and pivoted at theirlower ends to the base, and stop means cooperating between each pair oflegs permitting them to swing in the same direction toward foldedposition but preventing movement in the reverse direction after the legshave reached their crossed'position of use, the distance between thepivots-at the upper ends of the legs being thesanie as that between thelower ends of th'e'legs, thus permitting the legs and top to move'intoalignment with the base when the parts are moved to folded position.

3. In combination in a device of the character described,a fixedhorizontal base, a top substantially parallel to the base, a pair oflegs at each side of the'top pivoted at their upper ends to such top ata fixed distance apart with the members of each pair crossing each otherat their central portions and .having registering perforations where thelegs cross when the device is in position of use and pivoted attheirlower ends to the base at a fixed distance apart, and removable pinsextending through said registering perforations for releasably lockingthe legs "in crossed position, the distance between the pivots at't'heupper ends of the legs being the same as that "between the lower endsofthe legs, thus permitting the legs and top to move-into alignment withthe base whenthe parts are movedto folded'positio'n;

:In testimony whereof, I have. hereunto subscribed my name this 16thdayof November,

SWEN M. 'SWENSSON.

